Miracle
by cardcaptor-kanna
Summary: After the Agency was shot-up, Henrietta wakes up to find herself in Middle Earth rather than one of the Agency's hospitals. She reluctantly joins the Fellowship on their quest to destroy the Ring, but finds she has more questions than answers as they go along, as well as a lot of growing up to do. Sibling-style relationships except for Aragorn/Arwen.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Hey guys! I've been re-watching** ** _Gunslinger Girl_** **and got this idea and FINALLY decided to start writing it! I'll get back to A Whole New World (my _Super Sentai_ / _X-Men_ crossover, the fourth in the series) soon. ALSO, I know that this should be in the _Gunslinger Girl_ / _Lord of the Rings_ crossover archive (where there isn't ANYTHING), but I wanted this to get more views. Once it gets enough reviews/favorites, I'll move it there.**

 **One more thing: This will primarily be following the _Lord of the Rings_ movies, not the books. I might incorporate some aspects of the books in there, but I haven't decided yet.**

 **kanna does not own _Gunslinger Girl_ or _Lord of the Rings_. You know who they belong to.**

 **Elvish will be in _italics_**

* * *

The first thing Henrietta noticed when she woke up was that she wasn't at the Agency. She sat up, looked around, and took in her surroundings. She felt tears go down her face at the thought of her handler, Jose, who took the one bullet that could have killed her. She didn't want to relive the shootout at the Agency. Seeing the dead, blank faces of Rico, Triela, Angelica, Claes, Jose...especially Jose. She wasn't ready to show that type of emotion. Henrietta wiped her tears and allowed an emotionless expression to form on her face.

"Good, you're awake," a voice said. Henrietta jolted in surprise. She looked at the source of the sound and saw a person with long brown hair and pointed ears. He wore a kind of crown and some of his hair was in braids. An elf? No, there were no elves in Italy. Then again, Henrietta was either in a part of Italy she had never been to, or somewhere else entirely. "Do you remember anything? What is your name?" Henrietta regarded the man...elf...whatever he was with unsure eyes. " _Do you speak Elvish_?"

"What?" Henrietta asked. Whatever language that was spoken was one Henrietta didn't understand. The language caught her completely off guard and a fearful expression took over her facial features.

"So you can speak," the elf said. Wherever she was, Henrietta figured she might as well play along. "What is your name?"

"Henrietta," Henrietta replied in a soft voice that was laced with fear. Where was she? What was this person going to do to her? Was she going to die? Her handler was dead, along with all the other cyborgs and their handlers, so it wasn't as if she had anything. So why was she afraid? She had no one to die for or anyone that would miss her.

"You need not fear me, Henrietta," the elf said. "I am Elrond. This is my home. You are in Imladris."

"Imla...what?"

"Rivendell."

"Rivendell?" Henrietta was definitely a long way from Italy; wherever she was. "What's going on? What are you? Was it all a dream?"

"I can see you have many questions, Henrietta," Elrond mused. "However, I would like you to answer some of mine first. Would you?" Henrietta slowly nodded. "Thank you. First, the wounds we found on you were deep. Yet you did not seem to be in any pain when I was healing them. Why is that?"

"Oh, um..." Henrietta knew better than to explain that she was a cyborg and that pain went away quickly. While whatever place she was in was far from Italy, the elf clearly spoke a language that was not of Earth. Being fluent in almost every language on Earth, she would have known what Elrond was saying before if it was a language from Earth. "Another world? Is it possible?" Henrietta thought. If she was indeed in another world, it had to be one where elves existed. She wondered what other kinds of people there were in this world before she decided to tell the truth. No point in hiding it. "I'm a cyborg."

"A what?" Elrond asked with a furrowed brow.

"A cyborg." Henrietta hesitated. "I'm not a normal girl. I work...worked," Henrietta had to stop to correct herself and swallow the lump that was beginning to form in her throat, "for the Social Welfare Agency in Italy as a part of the anti-terrorist division. The Agency gave me cybernetic implants that serve as muscles and provide enhanced strength, senses, and reflexes. I also have a high pain tolerance. There are...were other girls my age who are...were like me." It was proving to be quite difficult for Henrietta to switch to past tense when talking about the other cyborgs and handlers. She swallowed hard and continued, "We all had our own fratello - handler - who was responsible for us."

"An assassin?" Elrond deduced surprisingly. "How could you...at such a young age..." Elrond was at a loss for words. A child assassin?

"I'm conditioned to do so. The conditioning made me loyal to my handler and follow his orders unconditionally and without question. I didn't mind, though. I'm...I was devoted to my handler. Devotion and conditioning are two different things." Henrietta really wanted to change the subject. She never talked about killing people or her conditioning in front of people who weren't part of the Agency. It was all top secret for a reason, after all. "How long was I asleep?"

"Two days. You were in and out of consciousness when a group of riders found you and brought you here."

"And where am I, again?"

"You are in Imladris, or Rivendell, which is home of the Elves. It is a part of Middle Earth, home of the Elves, Men, Dwarves, Ents, and the occasional Wizard."

"And...you're an elf." Elrond nodded. "Why am I here?"

Elrond furrowed his brow. "Only the Valar know why. They must have deemed it fit to bring you here. Perhaps you have a greater purpose?" Henrietta shrugged. Elrond still couldn't get over that there was not only another world, but a world where young girls were turned into non-human beings that took life without remorse. Something must have happened to her to send her here. Something she wasn't willing to talk about. Not yet, anyway. "You look like someone who who has seen and endured many things in her short life. However, none who pass through these walls will go without care so long as there is someone capable of aiding them." Another Elf with dark hair entered the room and whispered something to Elrond, who nodded. "If you will excuse me, there is a matter I must attend to."

Henrietta slowly nodded and Elrond left the room with the other elf. She looked around and saw her weapons case. At least something she was familiar with made it into this world. She looked herself over and saw that she was wearing a light blue tunic with black leggings and a white undershirt. She covered herself with the blanket as she went under, lifted up the hem of her undershirt, and saw that everything had been bandaged or stitched. She assumed all the bullets had been taken out when Elrond healed her. Aside from her weapons case, had anything she knew from her world made it here? Things like her clothes? "Probably not," Henrietta sighed to herself.

Henrietta put the hem of her undershirt back down and swung her feet over the side of the bed. She walked to the window and listened to the calming sound of the waterfall outside. "Are you sure you should be up and about?" a voice asked. Henrietta put up her guard and turned around, only to find...another Elf. This one looked different from Elrond, though. This elf had long hair, as well, but it was blonde. His eyes were blue, like the ocean.

"I'm fine," Henrietta said as she lowered her guard. She gazed at the waterfall with an uncertain expression.

"Let me help you back to the bed," the elf asked. "Lord Elrond will have my head if I allow one of his patients to hurt herself."

"Really, I-"

"Humor me."

Henrietta sighed and allowed the elf to help her back to the bed. Were all elves this stubborn? She couldn't even believe she was asking herself such a question. The whole idea of another world where elves existed alongside hobbits, a wizard, dwarves, and regular humans was unbelievable to Henrietta. But she was in that world. The question was how to get out. And, if she even wanted to. There wasn't anything for her in Italy. Not anymore. When she sat back down on the bed, she asked, "Who are you?"

"Henrietta, this is Prince Legolas," Elrond introduced as he walked into the room. "He was one of the riders who found you and brought you here."

"Prince?!" Henrietta's eyes widened. "I'm sorry, how should I-" Henrietta was stumbling over her words.

"Do not worry about it, _mellon-nin_ ," Legolas laughed softly. "It is only a title."

Henrietta was going to ask what ' _mellon-nin_ ' meant, but Elrond turned to Legolas and said something in Elvish to him. Legolas sighed and left the room. "What's going on?" Henrietta asked.

"There is a council meeting. I'm thinking, though. Perhaps it would be in your best interest to attend," Elrond explained.

"Why?"

"You take life without a second thought. You feel no pain. You are the perfect assassin, but you could also be the perfect shield on this quest."

"'Shield?'" Henrietta asked."'Quest?' What are you-"

"Come with me."

* * *

Henrietta looked around with nervous eyes. She couldn't feel pain, so the throbbing that would have been there from her wounds wasn't there. She had her weapons case with her and noticed all the looks she was getting. She assumed that she was getting those looks because she was a child. She sighed. This was going to be a long meeting that she didn't have a say in attending.

There was a lot of talking before Elrond motioned for everyone to sit down, which they all did. Surprisingly, Henrietta felt a wave of comfort from the man who was wearing all grey and carried a tall walking stick. Was he a wizard, like Lord Elrond had mentioned? Henrietta didn't know, but she took a seat next to him all the same. She held her weapons case in her lap. "Excuse me, but who are you?" Henrietta asked the supposed wizard.

The supposed wizard made a "sh" sound for Henrietta to be quiet. She looked down at her feet, which just reached the ground. "Strangers from distant lands," Elrond began. "Friends of old. You have been summoned here to answer the threat of Mordor. Middle-Earth stands upon the brink of destruction. None can escape it. You will unite or you will fall. Each race is bound to this fate – this one doom." Elrond gestured to the pedestal in the middle of the council room. "Bring forth the Ring, Frodo."

The one called Frodo - who Henrietta assumed to be something that wasn't an elf, wizard, of human - brought a gold ring with writing in a language that Henrietta couldn't read to the pedestal and set it down. He went back to his seat. The people in the room began to whisper amongst themselves. The assumed wizard remained quiet as Henrietta looked on and noticed one man in particular eyeing the ring with an emotion that she couldn't quite place. Was it obsession?

The man stood up and the whispers stopped as everyone stared at him. He had light brown hair and blue eyes. "So it is true," the man said. "It is a gift. A gift to the foes of Mordor. Why not use this Ring?" He began to pace. "Long has my father, the Steward of Gondor, kept the forces of Mordor at bay. By the blood of our people are your lands kept safe! Give Gondor the weapon of the Enemy. Let us use it against him!"

Henrietta wasn't sure what it was about this guy, but she already didn't like him. Something gave her a bad feeling about him. Then again, if this ring could be used as a weapon, then why wouldn't they use it? Did this ring have some kind of magical powers? Clearly magic brought Henrietta to the world of Middle Earth, so anything was possible. "However," the man paused and Henrietta's eyes widened, "can someone explain to me what a mere _child_ is doing here?" He pointed to Henrietta and the looks and whispers began again. She fidgeted with the handle of her weapons case.

"All in due time," Elrond sighed. The whispers stopped.

"None of us can wield the ring," another man said. This one had dark hair that was flecked with grey and had bluish-grey eyes. "The One Ring answers to Sauron alone. It has no other master."

"And what would a mere ranger know of this matter?" the one called Boromir asked.

Legolas stood up suddenly with an expression that appeared to be beyond angry. "This is no mere ranger. He is Aragorn, son of Arathorn. You owe him your allegiance," Legolas explained angrily.

So Aragorn was the other man's name. Aragorn said something to Legolas in Elvish before Legolas sat down. Could humans also speak Elvish? This was all so new to Henrietta. "Aragorn?" Boromir asked in disbelief as he turned to face the man in question. "This is...Isildur's heir?"

"And heir to the throne of Gondor," Legolas said with pride. So Aragorn was some kind of king? This was all so confusing to Henrietta, who sighed. She resumed fidgeting with the handle of her weapons case.

Aragorn said something in Elvish to Legolas, who sat down. "Gondor has no king. Gondor needs no king," Boromir sighed as he returned to his chair.

"Aragorn is right," the supposed wizard said. "The Ring must be destroyed."

Someone who Henrietta assumed was a dwarf rushed forward with his axe and swung it down on the Ring, only for him to be sent flying back and for Frodo to wince in pain. Henrietta's eyes widened. How could something so small cause so much damage? Then again, bullets riddled the eyes and bodies of Rico, Triela, Angelica, and Claes, and those were pretty small. She shouldn't have been too surprised. Henrietta muttered something to herself in Italian, which caused Legolas to look at her in confusion. How did he hear what she said? Were elves like cyborgs? Did they also have enhanced senses?

After Elrond said something to the dwarf - Gimli, Henrietta heard he was named - Elrond addressed the council as a whole, "One of you must do this."

The council room was filled with dead silence. No whispers. One could hear a pin drop, even if they didn't have Henrietta's enhanced hearing. She shifted in her chair and looked at the man in grey robes. She then looked back down at her weapons case when he saw her looking at him. Something wasn't right. Henrietta wasn't sure what it was, but something was definitely off.

Finally, Boromir broke the silence, "One does not simply walk into Mordor. Its black gates are guarded by more than just orcs. There is evil there that does not sleep. And the great Eye is ever watchful. It is a barren wasteland riddled with fire and ash and dust. The very air you breathe is a poisonous fume. Not with ten thousand men could you do this. It is folly!"

"'Eye?'" Henrietta thought. "What 'Eye?' What are these people talking about? Why am I here? Why is no one telling me anything?"

As these questions flowed through Henrietta's mind, Legolas stood up and said, "Have you heard nothing Lord Elrond has said? The Ring must be destroyed!"

Were all council meetings like this? Lots of sitting and standing and then back again? Henrietta was about to say something, but before she could, everyone started arguing. She could hear Gimli shout, "Never trust an Elf!" Did the Dwarves hate the Elves for some reason? If so, why?

Henrietta looked at Frodo, who seemed to be having an internal struggle of some sort. A look of understanding and realization crossed his face when his eyes met Henrietta's. He walked up to the arguing council members and said, "I will take it!" Apparently, the council members didn't hear him, because they continued to argue until Frodo shouted to make himself heard, "I will take it!"

Everyone's eyes turned towards Frodo in surprise. Henrietta supposed that to them, this was just as shocking as having a child sit in on the council. The man in the grey robes closed his eyes. "I will take the Ring to Mordor," Frodo said. "Though..I do not know the way."

The man in the grey robes walked to Frodo and said, "I will help you bear this burden, Frodo Baggins, so long as it is yours to bear." He put his hand on Frodo's shoulder.

Aragorn rose from his chair and walked to Frodo. "If by my life or death, I can protect you, I will," he said. He took out his sword. "You have my sword."

"And you have my bow," Legolas offered in support as he, too, walked to Frodo.

"And my axe!" Gimli declared. He shot a glare at the Elf that went unnoticed.

Boromir walked slowly to Frodo as he said, "You carry the fates of us all little one. If this is indeed the will of the council, then Gondor will see it done."

Henrietta became lost in her thoughts again as three more people that she assumed to be Hobbits declared that they were joining on the quest. "Nine...no, ten companions," Elrond corrected himself.

"Ten?" the group standing by Frodo gasped. Henrietta now understood why Elrond wanted her at the council meeting. She was the perfect soldier; the ultimate weapon. She could take life without remorse. Perfect for taking out...whatever needed to be killed. Elrond seemed to see her as a killer, nothing more. There was more to her than just mechanical body parts, enhanced muscles and senses, and everything that made her physical being her. She had a personality.

Henrietta stood up with her weapons case at her side. Her face was devoid of emotion, although she felt nervous inside. "This is Henrietta," Elrond introduced. "She shall accompany you on your quest. You shall be the Fellowship of the Ring!"

Boromir laughed, "You cannot be serious in expecting us to take a mere child with us." When he saw the serious look in Elrond's eyes and that Elrond wasn't kidding, Boromir growled, "She's a _child_! You are damning a human child! She cannot fight! We cannot be expected to babysit her!"

"I won't need it," Henrietta said. "I can handle myself."

"Prove it."

"I'm sorry?"

Aragorn tried to hold back Boromir, who shrugged him off. "If you can really handle yourself, girl, then fight me. One on one. No weapons."

Henrietta sighed. There was no getting out of this. "Fine," she sighed.

"I'll go easy on you. I don't typically fight children, after all."

"You won't need-" The council members retreated to their seats before Boromir could get the first hit in. He punched Henrietta in the face and the punch was so strong it sent her staggering back a couple of steps. _This_ was going easy? Whatever. Henrietta had a high pain tolerance. As quickly as the pain came, it vanished.

She glared at Boromir. "You really don't want to test me." She walked up to Boromir and reached up to grab the fabric of his tunic. She pulled him towards her before she punched him in the gut, kicked him where it hurt the most, and then shoved him backwards; sending him flying backwards.

Everyone in the room turned to face Henrietta with shocked and fearful looks, including Boromir. She didn't want to have to fight him, but he pressured her to accept his challenge so that she could show her worth. Henrietta noticed the wide, fearful eyes of everyone and quickly fled the scene.

* * *

Henrietta wasn't sure how, but the area by the waterfall quickly became one of her favorite spots as her running feet led her there. She sighed and tears silently slid down her face. She knew she wasn't normal. She didn't need someone (especially someone she didn't like very much) rubbing it in her face. She recalled the time when Jose and Eleanora said, "Normally, little girls don't..."

She sat in the shade against a tree with her head in her hands. "You have strength, _mellon-nin_ ," a voice said as she jolted out of her thoughts. She turned her head and saw Legolas standing behind her.

"You startled me," Henrietta said as she quickly wiped the tears from her eyes before she turned to face Legolas. She hoped the Elf hadn't seen or heard her crying.

"Lord Elrond told us about you after the others left the council room," Legolas explained. "He did not wish for the others to hear." He sat down next to her.

"They're all afraid of me, aren't they?" Henrietta asked. "Because I'm not normal like you and the others." Legolas opened his mouth to speak but was cut off, "Don't lie to me."

"I had no intention of doing so. I was merely going to ask what sets you apart?"

"'Apart?'" Legolas nodded. "I...I don't know. I have strength...I can kill with my bare hands. I bleed red, but the pain always goes away quickly. Sometimes, I see things in my head that never even happened!" The tears started to flow freely now. "I am a cyborg! I'll never be a normal girl," Henrietta sobbed. "You saw what I did to Boromir! How do you know I won't do the same thing to you or anyone else?"

"Because what sets you apart is that you have compassion. You were conditioned to be the perfect assassin; to take life without care or remorse. To be unafraid of killing or dying. Yet you have compassion for others to defend them."

"Compassion didn't save Jose, Jean, Hilshire, Marco, Claes, Triela, Rico, or Angelica! They're all dead! Every single one of them! Along with a bunch of people at the Agency whose names I didn't even know!" Henrietta shouted angrily. While Legolas had no idea who the people she named were, he assumed they were Henrietta's fellow cyborgs and other handlers. He allowed Henrietta to continue. "There's nothing for me to defend. Not anymore."

"Lady Henrietta, what-"

"I don't want to talk about it."

"You cannot keep this bottled up inside you forever. It will ruin you from the inside if you do not talk about it."

"Maybe I don't care."

Henrietta's words were a shock to the Elf. Nothing to defend? Nothing to live for? Legolas had never met someone who was suicidal before. To elves, all life was precious. He couldn't imagine what whatever happened to Henrietta must have been like. He fought in his fair share of wars, so he knew what it was like to lose someone close to him. But for someone so young, with so many wonders awaiting her, not caring about what lay in front of her? Someone her age willing to die? Was this what Elrond called the 'conditioning' talking?

All that crying must have made Henrietta very tired, because once her sobs turned into hiccups, she was struggling to stay awake. "Why do you fight off sleep, _mellon-nin_?" Legolas asked. "You need it."

"If I sleep, I'll dream. If I dream, all I'll see are everyone's bodies at the Agency. Dead, all dead. I should have died with them. Why am I even here?" Legolas had no answers for her. Would Gandalf? The elf didn't know. How did she get to Middle Earth, anyway? What kind of world did Henrietta live in where they would take little girls and turn them into assassins? Legolas had so many questions for Henrietta, but now wasn't the time.

"Come on," the Elf said as he stood up and reached a hand out for Henrietta.

"What?" Henrietta asked as she looked up.

"You need sleep. I am going to take you back to your room."

"And that's supposed to help...how?"

Legolas chuckled. "You will see. Get your things and let me walk you back."

Henrietta sighed. There was no getting out of this. She picked up her weapons case and stood up on her own. She wiped her tears away and took a few deep breaths before she and Legolas walked back to her room. They stood in the doorway in silence before Legolas motioned for Henrietta to get into bed. Henrietta looked at him with a questioning expression before she walked to the bed and got into it. She sat upright. "Okay, I'm in bed," Henrietta sighed. "Now what?"

"Lie down and close your eyes. I will sing you to sleep," Legolas replied.

"Sing me to sleep?" Henrietta asked in surprise. No one at the Agency had ever done that. She couldn't even remember her life before the Agency, so whether anyone had ever done that before her life at the Agency began was a mystery to her. Henrietta was confused. Were elves like wizards? Did everyone in this world have magical powers?

Legolas nodded. "We elves have magic of our own. My mother taught me many songs that soothed the mind and healed the heart. She sang for me many times when I was an elfling."

Henrietta assumed he was talking about when he was a child, judging by the word 'elfling.' She wanted to question Legolas further, but was too tired to do so from crying and fighting off sleep. She lay down, closed her eyes, and instantly flinched. The bodies of Jose, Jean, Hilshire, Marco, Claes, Triela, Rico, and Angelica played through her mind like a horror movie. Legolas saw her muscles tense up. "Relax your body, _mellon-nin_ ," Legolas said. "There is nothing here that will harm you. Not as long as I am here."

Henrietta took a few deep breaths and her muscles slowly relaxed. After Henrietta took a few deep breaths, Legolas began to sing and he stroked Henrietta's forehead. Soon, the images of the bodies at the Agency began to fade as Henrietta slipped into a dreamless sleep.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Hey guys, I know it's been FOREVER. I just started working and decided to put my other stories on the back burner. Um...no real excuse here.**

 **kanna does not own _Gunslinger Girl_ or _Lord of the Rings_**

* * *

Elrond gave the Fellowship two months to prepare for what lay ahead. Henrietta knew how to use guns and rifles, but had a feeling that a gun or rifle wasn't going to be of much use in this world. Legolas offered to teach Henrietta his native language of Sindarin, one of the Elvish dialects, an offer she accepted. Wary looks were constantly directed towards Henrietta, who sighed in frustration and wondered which would kill her first: her trying to take her own life (although doing that without anyone noticing was quite difficult), her dying at the hands of the enemy or her being killed by a member of the Fellowship (likely Boromir).

In the midst of two months, Legolas had taught Henrietta to be quite the archer. Given her familiarity with long-range weapons like rifles, archery seemed like the right fit. It wasn't that Henrietta couldn't wield a sword (she could hold one after she tried to), but with her enhanced eyesight, she decided to learn archery. Legolas also taught her how to use daggers for close-range combat. Even though Henrietta was skilled in hand-to-hand combat, the orcs and whatever else they would probably encounter had all kinds of weaponry, so Legolas decided daggers would be good for close-range weaponry.

Henrietta quickly became fluent in Sindarin. Legolas was surprised at her progress, but when Henrietta explained the language learning abilities of the cyborgs, he understood and began to challenge her more with it every day. Aragorn, like Legolas, was also quick to accept Henrietta. The two often conversed in Elvish about various topics. Henrietta enjoyed Aragorn and Legolas's company and wished that everyone in this world was this accepting of her.

Gimli, who later accepted Henrietta, tried to teach her some Khuzdul, the secret language of the dwarves (much to Legolas's chagrin). The word 'tried' is key in that, because the only phrase Henrietta could successfully pronounce was something so disrespectful. Legolas and Aragorn made her swear to never repeat it, and her Khuzdul lessons quickly ended not even three days after they started.

The hobbits slowly but surely accepted Henrietta. Once they understood more of her capabilities and saw how quickly Aragorn accepted her, they treated her as one of their own. They also introduced her to the wizard, Gandalf the Grey, who Henrietta wasn't sure what to think about. He seemed difficult to read, but very wise, as well.

Things were slowly getting better for Henrietta with the members of the Fellowship. All except for Boromir. He hadn't taken his defeat at the Council of Elrond well at all. He flat out refused to accept Henrietta. He just acted like she didn't exist. Which Henrietta would have to be content with, especially since two months had come, gone, and he hadn't said so much as two words to her.

It was the day after the end of the two months, and Henrietta sighed as she put on her dark brown headband, which contrasted her light brown hair. She threw on a light brown tunic, a white undershirt and another pair of black leggings. She saw what looked like a pair of black loafers at the foot of her bed. She walked over to her weapons case on the dresser and took a look at it before ultimately deciding not to take it with her. Guns and rifles would be useless here. Yet, it was the one reminder of her friends who were more like family back at the agency. She sighed. Her nightmares hadn't gone away completely, but she was slowly starting to sleep better, as much as she hated to admit it.

Henrietta grabbed her bow and arrows before she put on a belt with sheaths for her daggers. She sighed again. It was time to leave the safety of Imladris, as she had started to call it upon picking up on Sindarin, and go into a war where she would slowly but surely start to lose the friends she had just made. Henrietta didn't want to fight, but it seemed she didn't have a choice in the matter. Not anymore. She opened the door and walked outside towards the entrance to Imladris. Upon arrival, she noticed a pony. "His name is Bill," Sam explained when he noticed Henrietta.

"Can I pet him?" Henrietta asked. Sam nodded. Henrietta hadn't seen many horses in the parts of Italy she had been to and never had the chance to ride one, so this was a treat. She smiled and reached up to pet Bill's mane. Sam was at the entrance along with the other members of the Fellowship, except for Aragorn and Frodo. After she finished petting Bill, she turned back to Sam. "He's a nice pony," Henrietta commented.

Sam nodded in agreement. "Where's Strider?" he asked her. Henrietta learned from the Hobbits that Strider was the name Aragorn went by when he was traveling to Imladris with the Hobbits.

"I don't know. I haven't seen him."

"Aragorn has gone to visit his mother's grave," Legolas explained when he walked over. He quickly checked Bill's reigns and saddle before Henrietta saw Aragorn walking towards the Fellowship.

Lord Elrond and a woman (who Henrietta was later told was Lord Elrond's daughter, Arwen) arrived shortly after Aragorn. Lord Elrond addressed the Fellowship as a whole when he said, "The Ring-bearer is setting out on the Quest of Mount Doom. On you who travel with him, no oath nor bond is laid to go further than you will. Farewell. Hold to your purpose. May the blessings of Elves and Men and all Free Folk go with you." He smiled sadly at them. Legolas and Aragorn placed their hands on their chests and bowed their heads. Henrietta figured this was a show of respect, as Lord Elrond was an Elf lord.

"The Fellowship awaits the Ring-Bearer," Gandalf declared. Frodo's back was to the group. Henrietta could see and hear him take a deep breath before he faced the group and walked to the front.

He came upon his first fork in the road. Henrietta could tell Frodo was nervous about the quest when she heard him ask Gandalf, "Mordor, Gandalf, is it left or right?"

Gandalf was behind Frodo and placed a hand on his shoulder before he answered, "Left." He and Frodo began to walk down the left path and was quickly followed by the other Hobbits, Legolas and Henrietta, Boromir and then Aragorn.

* * *

After walking for quite some time, the Fellowship decided to stop near a makeshift path. Merry and Pippin were working on their sword fighting with Boromir, Sam busied himself with cooking and Aragorn watched Boromir train Merry and Pippin. As soon as the food was ready (which didn't take long), Sam put some on a plate for himself and Frodo and they began to eat as they sat next to each other.

Henrietta sat on a rock a short distance away from the group. She was deep in thought, as she often seemed to be. She wasn't sure why she was isolating herself from everyone. Yet, she couldn't stop thinking of the other cyborgs and everyone at the agency. Gandalf reminded Henrietta of Claes, the Hobbits reminded her of Rico's happy disposition...the list seemed to go on. Eventually, she decided to walk over and join the group, where she heard Gimli say to Gandalf, "If anyone were to ask for my opinion, which I note they have not, I would say we are taking the long way round. Gandalf, we can pass through the Mines of Moria. My cousin, Balin, would give us a royal welcome."

"Moria?" Henrietta asked. "What's Moria?"

Henrietta's question went unanswered when Gandalf replied to Gimli, "No, Gimli. I would not take the road through Moria unless I have no other choice."

Henrietta's attention turned toward Legolas, who Henrietta could easily see was troubled by something. She walked over to him and saw his eyes on a dark patch in the sky. She wasn't sure what it was, but she doubted it was good. "What's that?" Henrietta asked in Elvish. "It's moving against the wind. Fast."

"Crebain fron Dunland!" Legolas shouted. He grabbed Henrietta's wrist and the two of them ran to somewhere safe. The other Hobbits, Gandalf, Aragorn and Boromir also hid away behind some rocks. Henrietta bent down, covered her head with her hands and closed her eyes tight in the hope that those creatures wouldn't notice them. She was so scared that she started shaking.

It was a few minutes later when she felt something gentle on her shoulder. "Henrietta?" a voice said. "They're gone."

Henrietta opened her eyes, and for a moment, she thought that she had heard and seen Jose. But once her sight became clearer, she recognized Aragorn. "Aragorn," Henrietta sighed.

"Are you all right?"

"I'm fine," Henrietta lied. One would think that with dealing with terrorists and shootings so often, these creatures would have been nothing to Henrietta. But when everyone panicked, she did, too. She also wondered why she thought Aragorn was Jose. Wishful thinking?

Aragorn raised an eyebrow but said nothing as Henrietta noticed the rest of the Fellowship emerging from their hiding spots. "What now?" he asked Gandalf.

Gandalf addressed the group as he pointed to a high mountain pass with his staff. "We must take the pass of Caradhras!" Gandalf declared.

Henrietta looked at the mountains and saw quite a bit of snow. "Do you feel the cold, _mellon-nin_?" Legolas asked Henrietta. Henrietta nodded. She may have been mostly human, but even so, all of the cyborg felt the effects of the weather. Legolas noticed her eyeing the mountain pass warily. "Here," he said as he handed her a small cloak that seemed to just fit her.

"Thank you," Henrietta muttered.

"It will be a long way up the mountain. Lots of snow."

"I'll manage." Henrietta lied. She was anxious about going up the mountain and hoped it didn't show in her voice. Whether Legolas could tell she was lying or not was unknown, but he, too, eyed the mountain warily and wondered how safe they were all going to be.

* * *

The climb up the mountain went on without much of a problem, other than the fact that the Fellowship, except for Legolas, were wading through about a foot of snow. Legolas was walking on top of it. Henrietta was freezing. She couldn't believe she had lied to Legolas and said that she would manage.

Suddenly, Henrietta heard a sudden 'thud' up ahead and noticed that Frodo had fallen. She struggled through the snow to get to him and help him up. "Thanks," he said as he gratefully took Henrietta's hand and stood up.

"You're welcome," Henrietta replied with a small smile, which quickly faded when she noticed something missing from Frodo's neck: the chain with the Ring on it. "Frodo? Where's the-"

"It is a strange fate we should suffer so much fear and doubt over so small a thing," Henrietta heard Boromir mutter. She quickly turned around and saw something in Boromir's eyes she couldn't quite place as he held the Ring and the chain it was on. Obsession, maybe? She wasn't sure. What she was sure of, though, was that it wasn't good. "Such a little thing," he murmured as he went to place the Ring on his finger.

"Boromir!" Henrietta shouted. She jumped out of the snow and leapt over to where Boromir was. She hit the wrist of the hand that held the Ring, and the Ring fell into the snow. Boromir snapped out of his trance and looked at Henrietta wide-eyed. She picked up the Ring and gave it to Frodo. Frodo thanked her again and she nodded before she began to walk next to Legolas.

Aragorn was surprised. Why did the Ring not affect Henrietta? Was it because she wasn't fully human, like him and Boromir? He shook his head. The only thing inhuman about her was her body. No human had that kind of agility or strength. So what was it?

It had to have been many hours later when Henrietta heard something in another language. "Am I hearing things?" she asked herself aloud. She stopped for a moment and tried to listen more. She definitely wasn't hearing things, because Legolas's ears twitched. "What's that sound?"

"There is a fell voice on the air," Legolas said as he turned to face his companions.

"It's Saruman!" Gandalf shouted as blocks of ice broke off from the top of the mountain and began to fall.

"An avalanche!" Henrietta yelled. She was frozen with fear in place. Was she going to die? Here? Now?

Legolas grabbed Henrietta and picked her up, and the Fellowship leaned up against the face of the rock. The clumps of ice and snow just missed them. Aragorn, who guarded Frodo and Sam, shouted to Gandalf, "He's trying to bring down the mountain! Gandalf, we must turn back!"

"No!" Gandalf shouted in reply. He quickly began to chant something in another language. Henrietta, who snapped out of her fear-like trance, wondered if it was magic of some kind. Whatever it was, it didn't work, because lightning struck the top of the mountain. An avalanche of snow buried the Fellowship. Legolas was the first one out, and he quickly pulled out Henrietta. The two made their way to where Gandalf seemed to be and dug him up while they both listened and watched for anymore danger. Aragorn and Boromir pulled out the Hobbits, and Gimli dug himself out while mumbling to himself.

"Please tell me how we're getting off this mountain," Henrietta said through chattering teeth. Cyborgs didn't get sick, but Henrietta was ready to die from the cold. She could barely feel her feet. She held her cloak around her so tight that her knuckles turned white from holding it.

"We are," Legolas calmly reassured Henrietta as he brushed snow out of her hair. He turned to the others as if asking what to do.

"Make for the Gap of Rohan and take the west road to my city!" Boromir decided.

"The Gap of Rohan takes us too close to Isengard!" Aragorn argued.

Gimli piped up with, "If we cannot pass over a mountain, let us go under it. Let us go through the Mines of Moria."

Henrietta had so many questions about what was just argued about, but Gandalf told them all that it was Frodo's decision. Frodo closed his eyes for a moment before opened them and said, "We will go through the mines."

Gandalf sighed, and Henrietta knew from that that Gandalf was hoping Frodo wouldn't say that. "So be it," Gandalf sighed.

The Fellowship retraced their steps to where the Crebain flew over them. Henrietta felt a chill go down her back and she knew it wasn't from the cold. They stopped to get their bearings. Legolas asked Gimli, "Which way, Dwarf?" Henrietta didn't understand why she could hear some spite in Legolas's voice.

"Southwest to the entrance of the caves. Then through the mines underneath Mount Caradhras, Elf," Gimli answered with an equal amount of spite.

Henrietta was confused. Did the elves hate the dwarves, and was the feeling mutual? She shook her head and snapped herself out of her thoughts. "Should we rest before we continue?" Henrietta asked Aragorn.

Aragorn looked at the sky before he exchanged a look with Legolas and nodded. "We'll need our strength. We leave soon," Aragorn replied.

* * *

A short while later, the Fellowship followed Gimli towards the entrance to the mines and into the dark tunnels below. Henrietta wasn't one to be scared of the dark, but given her encounter with the Crebain and the uncertainty that anything could jump out at them, she gripped Legolas's arm so hard that she was worried she had cut off circulation. However, although he didn't show it, Henrietta could easily tell that Legolas didn't like it down in the mines, either. Come to think of it, the only person who didn't seem to have a problem was Gimli. Was this because he was a dwarf? Henrietta didn't get it and seemed to be getting more questions than answers.

She stopped short when Gimli stopped and stood in awe of a wall. "The walls of Moria," he explained. Gandalf, too, eyed the walls of the area they were in, only his face showed fear and worry all over it. The walls seemed to continue on towards something resembling a door.

Gandalf outlined the door with his staff and muttered, "Ithildin." He looked towards the sky, where Henrietta saw the stars and the full moon shine. "It mirrors only starlight and moonlight." Just as he said those words, the clouds in the night sky shifted and allowed the moon to shine on the door. Henrietta gasped as it revealed some writing on the door.

"What does it say?" Henrietta asked.

"It reads 'The Doors of Durin – Lord of Moria. Speak, friend, and enter,'" Gandalf explained.

"And that means..." Henrietta trailed off. She wasn't stupid (far from it), but this whole thing kept leaving her with more questions than answers.

"Oh, it's quite simple!" Gandalf clarified. Henrietta raised an eyebrow. "If you are a friend, you speak the password and the doors will open."

Gandalf said a couple of things in a different language, but the doors wouldn't budge. Henrietta walked over to Bill the pony and began to pet him alongside Sam. Aragorn walked up and took Bill's bridle, much to Sam and Henrietta's confusion. "The mines are no place for a pony, even one so brave as Bill," Aragorn said.

Henrietta sighed. "Bye, Bill," Henrietta and Sam said together as they watched Aragorn lead Bill out.

Silence filled the cavern as Henrietta looked down at her feet and walked to the water. She tuned out her surroundings and felt a wave of grief overcome her. She wasn't sure what was going on. "Henrietta?" Legolas asked as he noticed Henrietta by the water. Henrietta turned her back to him, because she didn't want Legolas to see her cry. She closed her eyes and a tear fell. "What is wrong?"

"There's nothing I can do," Henrietta whispered. "How am I supposed to help when I barely understand what's going on?"

"I-"

"It's a riddle," Frodo cut in with sudden realization. He turned to Gandalf. "What's the Elvish word for friend?"

"Mellon," Gandalf said in a deep voice. The door opened and the Fellowship proceeded through the door.

"Soon," Gimli said in a voice laced with excitement as they walked, "you will enjoy the fabled hospitality of the Dwarves. Roaring fires, malt beer, ripe meat off the bone. This, my friend, is the home of my cousin Balin. And they call it a mine. A mine!"

Henrietta eyed Gimli nervously. Something didn't seem right. No, that wasn't it. Something didn't _smell_ right. The smell was so overpowering she gagged and fell to her knees. "It smells like dead bodies in there," Henrietta whispered to Legolas in Elvish when he came over to see what was wrong. He helped her back to her feet. Suddenly, she knew what was wrong.

There were dead bodies everywhere in the room. "This isn't a mine," Henrietta gasped.

"It's a tomb," Boromir realized.


End file.
